Child support is the financial responsibility owed from one parent to another after a divorce to ensure that their children’s needs and financial obligations are met. There are a number of factors that the court takes into account when determining the amount of child support, all of which seek to maintain the child(ren)’s quality of life. In this article, we will discuss some of the main influential factors that play into the determination of child support.
Parents’ Income
One of the most influential factors in determining the amount of child support owed by a parent is their income. Generally speaking, the parent with the higher income will be required to pay a greater proportion of the child support. Courts are aware that parents sometimes strategically decide to be underemployed or intentionally earn less in an effort to reduce their child support obligations.
The Number of Children Involved
The amount of child support will be adjusted according to the number of children involved. For example, parents who only have one child will pay far less in child support than those with three or four children. Each additional chilly typically increases the financial responsibility, as more funds are necessary to cover the costs of essential needs such as housing, food, education, and more.
Custody and Parenting Time
The child custody arrangement that is made between parents also plays a key role in determining child support. In general, if one parent has primary physical custody over their child, the other parent is typically responsible for paying child support. However, in shared or joint custody arrangements where time is split between parents, the amount of child support owed by each parent is typically reduced.
Standard of Living
Courts and child support lawyers will work to ensure that children sustain a standard of living similar to what they would have had if their parents remained together when determining the amount of child support. If the child is accustomed to having a certain lifestyle, such as participating in extracurricular activities, taking vacations, and going to private school, the amount of child support will be adjusted accordingly. Ideally, they will try to strike a balance between the parents’ financial capacities and the child’s accustomed lifestyle.
Your Children’s Needs
At the end of the day, the child(ren)’s needs are the number one priority when determining the amount of child support. In particular, if the children have any specific medical needs or require special education services, these factors will be weighed into child support calculations. The goal is to ensure that the child(ren)’s lives are not disrupted further by their parent’s decision to break apart from one another.
Can Child Support Amounts Be Changed?
According to the U.S. Office of Child Support Services, all states are required by law to have procedures for perioding review and adjustment of child support orders. Just because you request a modification to the court does not mean that the child support agreement is guaranteed to be changed, however, it will likely be considered. Some examples where a child support modification may be necessary is if a child(ren)’s needs or the parent(s)’s income changes.
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